THE SHIPPING DISPUTE.

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19758, 13 December 1935, Page 7

THE SHIPPING DISPUTE.

LICENSES to seamen. SEVERAL VESSELS TO SAIL. FINDING. BASIS FOR PEACE. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. SYDNEY, Deo. 12. An attempt is being made to hold up the Union Steam Ship Company’s cargo steamer Wairuna, which is scheduled to sail from Sydney to-mor-row for San Francisco. A fireman Is reported missing and the Seamen’s Union is not allowing any member to fill the vaoanoy. The Wairuna may be the first oversea vessel to beoome involved.

Questioned to-night the manager of the Union Company, Mr Soutar, said he had no knowledge of any trouble on the Wairuna. Probably the Communist element was circulating mischievous rumours.

At Brisbane volunteer crews have been provided for five freighters. At Melbourne about 400 lioenoCs were Issued to seamen, firemen and others to-day. Three cargo vessels, the Kooinda, Kowhai and Goulburn are ready to sail for inter-State ports with volunteer licensed crews.

A Development.

The only development in the strike position to-day was the arrival in Sydney from Melbourne of Messrs C. Crofts and A. Monk, officials of the Australian Trades Union Council, to confer with the local Trades Hall delegates with the object of trying to find a basis for peace in the shipping industry for submission to the central strike committee.

It Is also reported that steps will probably be taken to test the validity of the regulations for applying the licensing provision of the Transport Workers’ Act to the seamen at Adelaide.

Eighty-one licences were issued yesterday to men desiring to enrol as seamen. The passenger steamer Taroona sailed from Melbourne for Launaeston with a non-union terew of 22, who were duly licensed. The shipping companies have received applications from several hundred men for licences, mostly through the post. Crews have also been ■selected for the steamers Goulburn and Mernoo, which are expected to sail in the week-end.

The regulations under the Transport Workers’ Act providing for the issue of licences have been made to apply to the ports of Brisbane and Newoastle as well as Sydney and Melbourne.